Schizophrenia
by dyslexic-Carmie
Summary: Alice's parents are worried about her mental health. Told from Alice's POV. My first Alice in Wonderland story.
1. Big Words

You know those moments where you have no idea what in the world everybody is talking about? Those moments where you feel like you're not part of the gang, team, cliché, club, group, family, or posse just because you don't recognize the jargon? Those horrible times where you don't want to say anything, because you fear it would make you look stupid. Well I'm having one right now.

My parents are talking about…. well oddly enough I have no idea. I'm hearing words like "schizophrenia" and "diagnosis" from where I'm standing in the kitchen. Words that I have never learned in school, or read in any of my picture books, words little girls shouldn't or never learned.

They started saying these alien words, after I told them about my adventure in the magical world of complete nonsense. My adventure in Wonderland.

I told my loving mother and father about my adventure, after my father asked me why I was being so quiet at dinner. I told him I was just thinking. He asked me, what I was thinking. I took this rare opportunity to be heard instead of seen for once, and told them about my adventure.

They didn't ask any questions, while I was telling them about Wonderland. They just looked at me with a serious look, a look I have never seen on their faces before. The look scared me. Maybe, the look should have been a warning sign for me to stop talking, and go back to being seen. But for reason I didn't stop telling them my story. Maybe it was because I'm just a little girl, and I wanted to have somebody listen to me for a change. Or maybe it's because I'm one of those big words, I'm hearing now.

When I was done no words left their lips, for the longest amount of time. Then Father asked me, if I saw the white rabbit often. I told him that the last time I saw the rabbit, with the waistcoat and pocket watch, was in the courtroom. Then he was silent again.

The silence was beginning to scare me. I wondered if I said anything that offended them, or could possibly hurt our family. I was wondering if I did something wrong. Mother and Father kept looking at each other with that serious face. I wonder if they looked at me, the whole time I was starring at the floor out of nervousness.

I probably stared at that floor for the longest time humanly possible. I stared at the juice stain, which was the result of me playing in the parlor with a drink. The stain was still there, because Mother and the maid never noticed it. I never told them about the stain, because I was scared that they would give me a whipping. Why is it that I could tell them about a complete nonsense incident, but I can't tell them about a simple juice stain?

Mother broke the silence by asking me to take the dishes into kitchen to wash. The maid usually takes care of all the dishes, so I knew she only wanted me to leave the parlor for she could talk to father. I didn't quarrel. I left the room with the three little dessert plates, which always looked like flying saucers to me, to take to the kitchen.

From the kitchen I heard Mother say something about worrying. I also heard Father say something about imagination going away at a certain age. Then all the big words started. Maybe I should have just told them about the juice stain, instead of Wonderland.

**A/N**

**I started typing and that what came out. I guess I wanted to prove that I could write something other than parodies, and humor. Hit the pretty button at the bottom of the screen to give your valuable feedback.**


	2. Lorina

"You know, Alice, eavesdropping is not a very nice thing to do." I was so engrossed in the conversation my parents were having that I didn't notice Lorina, my sister, accompany me in the kitchen.

"Oh, I was only-" I tried to say something to justify my eavesdropping but Lorina cut me off.

"I just was kidding with you Alice. Now where did that old heifer put the vases?" Lorina asked as I noticed she was holding a bouquet of flowers. The flowers were probably from one of the many boys that chased after her. Those boys were always so silly to me; they wrote her songs and stood outside her window. Sometimes my window when they didn't know which room she was in. The shyer boys left anonymous love poems at the door. I wonder if that's what boys will be like when I get to be Lorina's age, right now all the boys in my school seem so silly and childlike.

"I think the vases are still in the cabinet under the window." Our maid has a habit of moving things around in the kitchen. Lorina thinks the maid, or "that old heifer" as she likes to call her, only moves items around so that we won't ever locate them. And by relocating everything, she ensures her position as maid. Lorina believes that we can run a house, and use a kitchen, without a nosy maid putting her nose into everybody's business.

"Alice, why are you doing the dishes?" asked Lorina as she found a vase, "Has Father dismissed that old heifer?"

"Mother told me to do the dishes."

"Does that mean Father dismissed the maid?"

"No. The maid is washing Dinah."

"Why would anybody wash a cat? I bet that nosy heifer is going through my things again." Lorina and the maid never liked each other. The maid always thought Lorina was too young to have boys chasing after her. So, the maid made it a habit to set the dogs out on any window singer in order to discourage anyone from wanting to date her. Lorina thinks the maid acts like this out of jealousy, since the maid never married.

"What a nosy women. Right now she is going through all my things while my sister does the chores she was hired to do. And she says she is washing a cat; why the bloody hell would you wash a cat?" Lorina asked ranting.

"Mother just didn't want me to hear the conversation."

"What conversation?"

"Mother and Father are talking about me in the parlor."

"Why would they talk about you? You're a little girl. Are you sure they aren't talking about me?"

"Yes I'm sure they are talking about me."

"And why is that?"

"I've been listening to their conversation."

"So, what have they said about you, in this conversation you rudely eavesdropped into?"

"I didn't mean to eaves-"

"I don't want to hear about why you eavesdropped, Alice. I want to know why they are talking about you."

"I don't know but they used the word 'schizophrenia'. I don't even know what that word…"I stopped talking because Lorina was giving me the same serious look mother and father had used.

"Oh, well I'm going to join Mother and Father in the parlor now. You finish those dishes like you were told," my sister said after some silence, and then she left me to finish the dishes.

**A/N**

**I guess I love Alice in Wonderland enough to write a second chapter. Alice's sister is never named in the book and yes I know the Tim Burton movie calls her by a different name. I named Alice's sister Lorina after the real sister of Alice, the girl Lewis Carroll wrote the book for.**

**Now it is your moment to hit the pretty button to give your valuable feedback. Don't waste the moment REVIEW!**

**And Thank You, KaoruTheRandomBookworm, for editing this. You are probably the bestest friend ever. Yeah, I know I called Maureen my best friend today, but you're my favorite. Just don't tell Ash or Maureen. Maureen is still my best Dutch friend ever.**


	3. Leeches

I was in a deep, dark hole. I couldn't tell how big it was. I wasn't falling down it, but rather floating in the deep dark air of nothing. I wasn't sure where I was or how I got here, but for some reason I felt very relaxed.

It was like I was part of the universe. The part of the universe that man has not yet discovered. The darkest of it all was beautiful. I loved floating in it all.

Then there were bubbles. Lots and lots of bubbles. Pink bubbles, purple bubbles, green bubbles, of all shapes and sizes, floating around to join me in my universe of nothing.

They were beautiful. The bubbles made me smile. They brought a simple joy to this universe, which I can't explain. I wish I could. For some reason these bubbles seemed to be the answer to-

"Alice! Alice! Wake up!" Lorina pulled me away from my universe of bubbles.

I was half asleep, and wanted to fall back asleep. So, I didn't say anything to Lorina. It was probably a bad idea, because then Lorina started hitting me.

"Alice! Alice! You need to get up now!" I wasn't going to move no matter how much Lorina hit me. I wanted to stay asleep. I wanted to get back to my universe of bubbles.

"Come on Alice!" Lorina was now pulling off my covers. Dang, my cover is blown. This room is too cold, and the whole family knows that I never move in my sleep. Once I'm asleep I stay in the same perfect line I fell asleep in. Father sometimes worries that I might be mistaken as dead while I'm asleep.

"Give me back my covers!" Why must Lorina wake me too early in the morning anyway?

"No, because you are not going back to sleep." Why must Lorina be so mean?

"But it's so early in the morning, and I'm freezing."

"You won't be cold when you start moving. Now come on."

"But I want to sleep."

"You can sleep after you help me."

"But I want to sleep now." Lorina is very mean, because after I said this, she took my pillow away.

"Lorina, give me back my pillow!"

"Don't yell you might wake the maid."

"Lorina, I can't sleep without my pillow or covers."

"Good, now come with me."

"Fine," I say as I sit up in my bed. There is really no use in trying to go back to sleep. Lorina took my pillow and covers, and knowing her she won't give them back until she gets what she wants.

I followed Lorina outside. She said some stuff about what she was planning to do, but I was having a hard time paying attention since I was half asleep.

"Ok, Alice, I want you to take this jar of leeches into the maid's room. Then, I want you to put one leech inside every sock the maid owns." Lorina handed me a jar filled with leeches.

"But why me?" The part of my head that was awake and focused was wondering where Lorina got the leeches, and the other part just wanted to go back to the bubble universe.

"Because it's the maids fault mother and father believe all those terrible things about you."

"Terrible things about me?" What in the world was Lorina talking about?

"Oh it is terrible what she said about you. She is the reason mother and father want you to see a doctor."

"What?"

"Alice, stop asking stupid questions. We need to get our revenge on the maid now, before she wakes up."

"But why do I have to put the leeches in the socks?"

"Because, you're smaller. You can get in and out quickly by going through the window."

"I don't think this is a good idea."

"Trust me, Alice, this is a wonderful idea. Once the maid quits, our lives will be so much better."

"But what if she wakes while I'm putting leeches in her socks?"

"That's why you need to do it now, before she wakes up."

The next thing I knew I was on the other side of the window, in the maid's room, listening to her snores…while holding a jar of leeches.

**A/N**

**Sorry this chapter was late. I didn't really have the inspiration to write anything. **

**Anyways this chapter is dedicated to my friend Destiny, for giving me the idea of Lorina wanting to play a prank on the maid. **

**Oh, and thank you Des for editing. **


	4. Meow

You know how there is always a few signs before you get into a whirlwind of trouble? Well, I think I missed a bunch of them considered how much trouble I got myself into. I knew I should have never trusted Lorina.

Why did I agree to do this again? The maid was never a problem to me before. Sure, she sometimes locked my cat outside on rainy days, but she never ever did anything to make me want to put leeches in her socks.

I could understand why Lorina hated her. When I was going though the maid's dresser looking for her socks, I came across a box filled with things that belonged to Lorina. There were a few necklaces the neighborhood boys have given her, a box of half eaten chocolate, a large pile of love notes, and the pair of Lorina's shoes she thought she left at the creek.

I looked at one of the love letters. It was quite corny what the boy had written on it. I don't think comparing your love to a vegetable is the best way to ask a girl out. But the weirdest thing about the love note was the fact that Lorina's name was scratched out and replaced with the name "Josephine". I didn't know who Josephine was, so I kept looking for the maid's socks.

Finally I found them. They were at the very bottom of the dresser. I opened the jar of leeches, almost waking the maid up in the process, and started putting the leeches in the socks.

Leeches are really gross. They are slippery and slimy and I had to frequently pull them off my hands to keep them from sucking my blood. I started worrying that I might get lightheaded from all the blood I was losing in my fingers. Why does the maid have so many socks anyway?

I would have made it safely in and out of the maid's room if Dinah hadn't come in. I love my cat, but did she really have to come in the room and wake up the maid? Seriously, why did Dinah have to wake up the maid when I was filling her socks with leeches?

"_Meow!" _said Dinah as she jumped up on the maid's bed.

"Dinah, no," I whispered as Dinah began going towards the maids face.

"_Meow!"_

"Dinah, get off the bed."

"_Meow! Meow!" _Dinah sat down on the maid's face.

Thankfully, I heard the maid snore again. That brought me a slight relief. I really thought that I was going to get out of there quickly without the maid waking up.

"Fine, Dinah, just don't do anything that will wake the maid," I whispered.

"_Meow! Meow! Meow!" _It was almost like Dinah was trying to get me in trouble. But, she's only a cat; there is no way she could be doing that.

I put another slimy leech into a sock, when I heard the sound of the maid sitting up.

"Alice! Why are you going though my things?"

**A/N**

**Gee, I wonder who Josephine is. Oh and special thanks to foreverTEAtime for beta reading this.**

…

**B/N**

**You might wonder over the 'b/n' but it makes perfect sense, really. You see, I'm not really an editor nor am I the author in any way, shape, or form. So it's actually Britt's Note! *mumbles* or you could put 'Beta' in there. Mine's more creative, though! *sticks tongue out***


	5. Confusion

You know how you can think of a zillion excuses later, but not at the second you need one? Well, that's kind of what happened to me. Seriously, why did I tell the maid exactly what I was doing with her socks? I could have told her I went into her room after Dinah or that I was sleepwalking, or that I was looking for one of my picture books.

But no, I had to stupidly say: "Lorina made me! She said I needed to take revenge on you because you said such mean things about me. These are Lorina's leeches; she made me put them in your socks. I just wanted to sleep!" Why couldn't I just say that I was looking for another blanket in her dresser? It would have worked, too since it was so freezing last night… or this morning, really.

Well for some strange reason, after I said all that, the maid started laughing like an evil witch. I couldn't tell exactly what she was saying between laughs, but I think it was something about kids getting more creative every year. And she said something that sounded like somebody once put eggs in her shoes.

Her laughter scared me. Her laugh, sounded like it wanted me to laugh with her too, but she would turn to anger if I did that. Maybe it was the laugh that made me ask, "Are you going to tell mother and father?"

And surprisingly enough she said "no" in between laughs. I should have just run out of her room after she said that, but instead I had to ask her "why?" Running away would have been a much better opinion.

Her answer to that question was even more surprising. She said that she wouldn't tell mother or father, because she once was a girl like me, and had a sister just like mine. Then she went on this crazy rant about how her sister took away all her suitors, and that Lorina will do the same to me. She also said something about girls like us never marry and that we women warriors should stick together.

What does that even mean? Does the maid even realize that Lorina is much older then me, and will probably be married by next spring or summer? I don't even need to be thinking about suitors for five or six years or more. It's made me start to wonder how old the maid's sister is. And who exactly is the maid's sister?

After the maid's speech was over, she told me that I owe her. Well, I guess its fair because she doesn't plan to tell mother or father about the leeches, but I don't want to owe the maid. I wish I had lied about the reason for me being in her room.

When I asked her what I owed her, she just laughed and told me that she would come up with something later. The later part is really scaring me. When is later? And what will she come up with?

All this thinking about other excuses and later, is really making it hard for me to sleep. I wish I could just forget everything and fall back to sleep. I would love to be back in my universe of bubbles, but all my thoughts are too noisy to let me sleep.

**A/N**

**So, are you on Team Lorina or Team the Maid?**

…

**B/N Guess what! I had chocolate cookies for breakfast. ^_^ (I'm team Lorina by the way… older sisters always know best. I should know.)**


	6. Inedible Oatmeal

When I woke up I went to the kitchen for breakfast, only to find Lorina cooking it. This was a surprise to me, because I have never in my life seen my sister cooking. She was even wearing an apron. An apron! This was even more of a surprise because Lorina always liked to make fun of the maid for wearing one.

"Good morning Alice," Lorina said in a sweet voice when she saw me. This was shocking to. Lorina doesn't normally notice my existence in the morning. And Lorina isn't normally this cheery in the morning.

"Well don't just stand there with your mouth open, Alice," Lorina said as she stirred something in a bowl. "Come and take a seat."

"What time is it?" I asked as I took a seat at the table. It had to be the afternoon for Lorina to be acting this awake.

"It is about eight thirty, you sleepy head." It can't be eight thirty; Lorina doesn't even start acting like a normal person until about eleven or noon.

"Eight thirty?"

"Yes. Oh, Alice isn't it a lovely beautiful morning?" Lorina asked spinning around.

"It's raining." What is wrong with my sister?

"Oh, isn't the rain just splendid! Everything is just so beautiful this morning!" Maybe Lorina had drunken one of those funny beverages daddy keeps in the cellar.

"Uh, Lorina what are you even cooking?"

"I'm making you oatmeal." Since when did Lorina know how to make oatmeal?

"Oatmeal?" I asked in amazement.

"Yes, silly. Oh when you're done I can braid your hair." Why is Lorina being so nice?

"Braid my hair?" Lorina has never volunteered to braid my hair before. She only braids it when Mother tells her too, because we are going to a nice place or a neighbor's house or something.

"You can't go around with bed head hair, Alice." Does my hair really look that bad in the morning?

"Alice can't what?" the maid asked when she walked into the kitchen.

"Go around with bed head hair," Lorina answered still using a cheery voice. This was surprising too, since Lorina hates the maid.

"Of course she can't. And what are you making?" the maid asked.

"Oh, I'm making, Alice oatmeal for breakfast. Would you like me to make you a bowl, as well?" What is wrong with my sister? Just last night she had me put leeches in the maid's socks, now she is offering to make the maid oatmeal!

"I would love a bowl. Oh, and Lorina could you put blueberries in mine?"

"Oh, blueberries! That would make the oatmeal so much prettier! Alice, would you like blueberries in your oatmeal too?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Here you go," said Lorina as she set down my bowl of oatmeal on the table. That is if you can call it oatmeal. It didn't exactly look edible, which wasn't to surprising since Lorina has never cooked before.

"Thank you." I'm not so sure that I want to eat this.

"Oh, Ms. Nigbits, isn't today just beautiful?" Lorina asked as I wondered who Ms. Nigbits was.

"It's really raining outside today," answered the maid. Apparently the maid is Ms. Nigbits. I never knew that.

"Oh, isn't the rain just lovely, Ms. Nigbits?" Lorina asked as she began making the maid her oatmeal.

"Lorina, may I ask why you are in such a good mood this morning?"

"Why wouldn't I be in a good mode?" Maybe because you are a complete zombie in the morning and aren't normally this nice.

"Well, it's just that you aren't acting like yourself."

"I plan to share the big news when Mother and Father are here."

"Big news?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Never mind, I can't wait! I just got engaged!"

**A/N**

**So, does anybody have a name for Lorina's fiancé? I don't know what to call him yet.**

**...**

**B/N His name should be Pablo ... am I right ... Anybody ... No? Oh. *sighs***


	7. Engagement

"Now, Alice, do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?" Lorina asked me after we got done congratulating her on her engagement.

"I promise-"

"No, no, put your hand on your heart when you promise," Lorina said cutting off my promise.

I put my hand over my heart and started again. "I promise not to tell Mother or Father about your engagement."

"Good. Now, Ms. Nigbits do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?"

"You know I won't," the maid said. The maid's voice sounded like it had a pinch of anger in it. Now, that I think about it the maid didn't really congratulate Lorina on her engagement. The maid only told her that she better hope her Mother-in-law didn't expect her to cook.

"But do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?"

The maid put her hand over her heart and said, "Fine, I promise not to tell Mr. Liddell or Mrs. Liddell about their daughter's engagement."

"Excellent! Now, Alice do you promise to act surprised when Samuel and I tell Mother and Father about our engagement tonight?"

"But, I'm not good at acting!"

"Then practice being surprised. I need you to look surprised when Samuel comes over to tell Mother and Father about our engagement."

"But, what if Mother or Father asks me why I'm making such funny faces?"

"Then tell them you are practicing for the theater."

"I can't lie to Mother and Father!" I can't believe Lorina would expect me to lie to Mother and Father.

"Then don't say anything to Mother and Father today until after Samuel and I tell them about our engagement."

"But then I will have to be quiet all day."

"Well, you could just avoid Mother and Father all day. That way you wouldn't tell them about my engagement."

"But it's raining outside! How could I avoid Mother and Father if I can't go outside?"

"Oh, my look at the time! I better go start the laundry," the maid said before Lorina could answer my question.

"Before you go, Ms. Nigbits, I need you to promise to act surprised when I tell Mother and Father about my engagement with Samuel tonight."

"Fine, I promise to act surprised when you break the news with your fiancé tonight," the maid said with her hand over her heart.

"Yay!" Lorina happily said as the maid left the room. This was probably the first sentence Lorina has said that didn't use the word engagement.

"So, how can I avoid Mother and Father if I can't go outside?"

"Think of it as a game. That way you wouldn't tell Mother and Father about my engagement."

**A/N**

**So, I used James Birdsong's choice of name for the fiancé. Come on down to claim your prize!**

**Did anybody else find the word "engagement" annoying?**

**. . .**

**B/N ** **Chocolate chip muffins = my note of wisdom**


	8. Terms of Neat

"Alice, darling, can you come here for a moment?" Father asks as I pass by his study. This avoiding game would be much easier if it wasn't raining.

"Uh…yes Father," I nervously say as I join Father. Why did I walk pass Father's study? Why did I forget that Father works in his study all day? And more importantly, why did I walk past his study when I was supposed to be avoiding him and Mother?

"Darling, why are you carrying around your Mother's mirror?" Father asks looking up from his papers.

"I…Umm…Wanted to…" I'm carrying around my mother's mirror to practice making surprised faces, which I will use when Lorina and Samuel break the news about their engagement. But, I can't tell father that!

"Well, put it up when you're done with it."

"I will," I say feeling immensely relieved. Thank, goodness father wasn't going to question me about the mirror.

"You better, your Mother hates it when her things are not in place."

"I know," I say as Dinah walks into the study.

"It's the number one thing that bothers her. And, yet, she ended up married to me."

Mother and Father have very different terms for neat. Mother considers a room to be neat, if everything is put in its proper place. Mother has a proper place for everything in every room in our house, except the kitchen the maid takes care of that room. And if anything is not in its correct place, then the room is not neat. However, Father would consider a room to be clean if everything was off the floor. And by keeping everything off the floor, he would pile it all up on a table or chair.

"Okay," I nervously say as I look at Father's desk. That desk is probably the perfect example of my father's terms of neat. It has everything on top of it, crumpled papers, uncrumpled papers, opened books, unopened books, opened maps, unopened maps, empty boxes, and even a dinner plate from yesterday. Father's desk has so much stuff on it; I once played "I Spy" with Lorina solely using the desk.

"_Meow!" _Dinah purrs as she rubs her head against one of the legs of father's desk.

"I wish that it was not showering outside. I do hate the cat being inside while I'm working," Father said as he looked down at Dinah.

"Me too," If it weren't raining I wouldn't be having this nervous conversation with Father. Why did he call me into his study again?

"_Meow!"_ Dinah had now moved to the next leg of the table. Why do cats like to rub their heads on things anyways?

"Alice, take the cat out of the room, before she jumps onto my desk."

"Yes sir," I say as I set down the mirror on Father's desk to pick up Dinah.

"Oh, and darling, will you please give this letter to the maid," Father says as he picks up a letter from the many things on his desk.

"I will," I said as Dinah started to purr in my arms.

"Good, and, Alice, will you please make sure that Dinah stays out of my study for the rest of the day," Father added as he handed the letter to me.

"I will," I promise as I walk out of the study to go deliver the maid her letter.

**A/N**

**My terms of clean are the same as Alice's dad.**

**. . .**

**B/N Where as **_**my **_**terms of clean are everything put away . . . except for books of course. Books belong wherever their little hearts desire. =D**


	9. Letter

I don't feel comfortable carrying something that doesn't belong to me. Sure, I'm just delivering a letter to the family maid, but I still don't feel right when I'm holding something that isn't mine. Why did father ask me to give this letter to the maid again?

My curiosity is probably what's making me feel so uncomfortable. The urge to open this letter is making me quite uneasy. It's like staring at a cookie before dinner, I so badly want to have it, but I know that I shouldn't.

Also the fact that the letter is addressed to Josie Nigbits is not helping my curiosity. The name Josie sounds more like a nickname then a real name to me. I want to open the letter, so badly and find out who is calling the maid Josie.

Since when does the maid get mail anyway? The maid has been working at this house for about four years, and she has never received a letter before. Why is it that the first time the maid receives a letter I have to be the one to deliver it?

Maybe it is for the best that I'm delivering this letter. If Lorina were delivering the letter, she would have opened it and would be making fun of the maid before the maid even saw her letter. But, even if I'm the best choice to deliver this letter, I still don't feel comfortable doing it.

I've finally made it to the maid's door and I knock on it. I knock because I don't want to walk in and see something I wasn't meant to see. I'm happy to finally make it to the maid's room. I don't want to carry her letter any longer then I have to.

"The door is unlocked," the maid calls from her room, after I knock a few more times.

"Oh, father told me to give this letter to you," I say as I open the door.

"I got mail?" The maid asks, not looking up from the book she's reading.

"Uh, yeah here's your letter," I say as I hold it up.

The maid puts a feather on the page she's reading and closes her book. Then she sets the book on the table next to the chair she's sitting in. "Oh, Alice, don't just stand in the doorway. Why don't you come in?"

"Ok," I say shyly giving her a smile and walking into the room. I'm so nervous that I hardly moved an inch from the doorway.

"Oh my, Alice, you still have your bed head hair. I thought Lorina was going to braid your hair."

"Yeah, Lorina said she was going to do that later." Lorina did promise to braid my hair, but she couldn't do it this morning because she had to clean all the dishes she took out to make oatmeal. And believe me; that was a_ lot_ of dishes.

"I bet she'll forget. That girl isn't responsible enough to remember. And that girl isn't responsible enough to be getting married either."

"Umm…do you want your letter?" I ask trying to change the subject. I don't like hearing about my sister in a negative light.

"Of course. Why don't you read it to me?" I can't believe the maid is asking me to read her letter out loud for her.

"Okay, the envelope is addressed to Josie-"

"Rats, this letter is from my immature, older sister," the maid complains cutting me off.

"I'm sorry." I'm not sure what she exactly wants me to say.

"No, no it's okay. I just hate my sister's nickname for me. Josie! It sounds like a dog's name. Like, here, Josie, here, Boy! Why can't she just call me Josephine?"

**A/N **

**I'm pretty sure that most of y'all reviewers guessed who Josephine was before I wrote this chapter. You may now pat yourself on the back.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**I'm such a dunce. I seriously did not get that the maid was Josie. You may now all laugh.**


	10. What the Letter Asked

_"Dear Josie,_" I said as I began reading the letter. The maid let out a grumpy noise that could not possibly be a word in the English language.

"Continue reading, Alice," the maid said after I was silent for a little longer then a few seconds. Her displeasure at the introduction made me slightly unsure if the maid wanted me to continue reading or not.

"Uh, yes, of course," I mumble looking back down at the letter.

"You were at _'Dear Josie'_," the maid prompted. Judging by the sound of her voice, she wasn't going to get over being called Josie any time soon.

_"Sorry, Sister, I had to call you Josie-"_

"Ha, I doubt that girl is ever sorry," the maid complained cutting me off. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I will try not to interrupt. Please read the next part of the letter."

"Uh…_Sorry I had to call you Josie, Sister. You never respond to anything I write to you if I address the letter to Josephine. This is probably the first letter I have written that has actually made it to you-"_

"I bet she writes those words in every letter she writes. Just to make the letter seem more urgent. I doubt she ever wrote to me," the maid complained cutting me off again. "Oh, sorry, Alice, please finish reading."

_"Yes, dear little sister. I have written to you in the past. I send you a letter every Christmas telling you about all the wonderful things my son has accomplished-"_

"Like that brat has done anything!" This was the third time the maid had cut me off. "Sorry, darling, I'll try not to interrupt again."

_"Peter has certainly made me proud to be his mother-"_

"Of course she's proud! Peter is her only child!" By now the maid wasn't even trying to control her tongue.

_"But unfortunately, Peter has made a decision that shocked Lawrence and me-"_

"Oh sure, she calls her husband Lawrence and doesn't give him a stupid nickname like Larry. But she has to use Josie for me!"

_"I can not believe this, but Peter does not wish to attend his second semester at the university. He says that he wants to leave England and find work in America-"_

"America? Ha! That boy couldn't make it past the boat ride!"

_"I don't understand it, Josie. Why would he give up a perfectly good future of being a lawyer? And to make things even more confusing, Peter wants to take his girlfriend with him to America. He isn't even engaged to this girl, and yet, he wants to give up an already paid for future of becoming a lawyer to go live in America with the vainest girl I have ever seen-"_

"Ha, vainest girl she has ever seen. I didn't think it would be possible for somebody to beat my sister's status."

_"Oh, Josie, if you could just see this girl. She always looks at herself in anything that could give a reflection-"_

"Well you do too!"

_"And she refuses to drink anything. One should never trust somebody who doesn't drink. I'm sure she is behind Peter's desire to quit his studies in law. It will break my heart to have Peter quit his education. Lawrence and I have worked so hard to make sure he would be given a proper education. I still can't believe that he would give it all up to go to America with that girl-"_

"Who is this girl anyway?" The maid asked cutting off my reading, yet again.

"Uh, her name is never mentioned in the letter," I said as I scanned the rest of the letter looking for some sort of girl's name.

"Oh, well finish reading."

_"Now, Josie, it pains me to ask you for help. I know that you are so busy and shouldn't be leaving your job for my needs, but I need your help. I need you to come visit me in London to talk some sense into my Peter. Please come, Sister, I have never asked for you to visit me before-"_

"Ha, I doubt you ever wanted me to visit before."

_"Sincerely, Your Loving Sister, Ellen."_

"Loving Sister? That's funny."

"Uh, the letter isn't done yet. There is a P.S.-"

"Well then read it."

_"P.S. In this envelope I left you two train tickets to London,"_ I said reading the last part of the letter as the maid took out the two train tickets promised from the envelope.

**A/N**

**Gee, I wonder who gets to use the extra ticket.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**This is the awesomeness that is . . . my beta note. *waves hand***


	11. Memories and Thunder

When I was younger, one of my uncles told me that the thunder in a rainstorm was just God moving his furniture about in heaven. But, I don't think that's what thunder really is. My Uncle was probably just trying to get my little two-year-old self to go to sleep and stop complaining about missing my parents.

I still remember the peppermint smell of his house when he told me that. But, I don't remember the missing my mother and father part. My uncle reminds me about how badly I missed my parents every time he comes to visit, but I still don't remember any of it.

It's sort of funny how memories work. It's strange how everybody remembers something different about the same incident. Like that same weekend Lorina and I stayed at our uncle's house while our parents were out of town. Lorina remembers more about that weekend then I do. She could name the color of the shirt my uncle was wearing; the color of the carpet in his parlor room; and most of the things I said when I was crying because of the thunderstorm.

My uncle can remember everything I cried about that weekend; what we ate for every meal that weekend; how tall Lorina and I were; what time I actually fell asleep; and how much the thunderstorm really scared me. In a way it's kind of annoying how much my uncle likes to retell this story of our weekend visit. It's probably the only story my uncle has to tell others about me, because I've never heard him tell any other story with me in it before.

Now, the things I remember about that weekend visit are very few. I remember the thunderstorm, and my uncle telling that God was just moving around furniture. But I don't remember crying and staying up late because of the thunder. I remember my parents not being at my uncle's house, but I don't remember crying because I missed them. I remember the smell of peppermints in his house, and the funny looking mustache my uncle had at the time. But I don't really remember anything else.

It's weird how I can't really remember a weekend trip I had when I was younger, but I can remember everything that happened for the few hours I was in Wonderland. When I think back on Wonderland, I still can see all the gleaming white teeth of the Cheshire Cat, I can still hear the anger in the red queen's voice, when she demanded I lose my head, I can still feel that twisting strange feeling my body felt every time it changed size, and I can remember how all those strange cakes tasted.

I don't know why I can re-collect thoughts of Wonderland so well, when I can forget some of the things that happened just the day before. I don't understand the whole concept of memory, and I doubt I ever will. There are just too many unanswered questions, for anybody to have an answer on what memory really is.

Questions like, why do some parts of memories get forgotten and others don't? Why does everybody remember something different about the exact same thing? And how does seeing something remind one of another memory?

If a thunderstorm wasn't going on right now, I doubt that I would be recalling that weekend trip with my uncle. The thunderstorm just made me think of my uncle telling me that thunder is just God moving around furniture. So, it would make sense for me to remember these words because a thunderstorm is going on.

I still dislike thunderstorms. I wish I could go outside. I would be able to avoid mother and father better if I was outside. So far, I have failed miserably at playing the avoiding game. I already ran into father, but lucky for me, he didn't ask about Lorina being cheerfully out of character. I'm afraid that if I run into father again, I will end up spilling the beans about Lorina's engagement to Samuel.

This avoiding game would be a lot easier if it wasn't raining, or if the maid just let me stay in her room with her. The maid had me leave her room after I read her the letter. She told me to go away because she was going to say a few words she didn't want me repeating. I wish she had let me stay with her. Sitting in the maid's room would be a lot easier then walking around the house hoping mother and father don't find me to ask questions.

**A/N**

**I find it funny how this story can have quite a few favorites, but none of those favorites are reviewing this story. I'm not telling y'all to review, I'm just saying.**

**But if you do actually decide to review for once, please tell my Beta Reader that she's awesome.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**Do not be ashamed my fellow enjoyers-of-this-story. I have over 280 favorite stories on FictionPress and I've reviewed less than one third of them. That feeling of "putting yourself out there" never fails to give me the willies. But I wouldn't mind hearing how awesome I am. *Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.* Nah, I'm just joshin' you. Instead say how awesome the story is. *laughs evilly***

**On another note: Did not the intro to this chapter put you in mind of the song 'Only Exception' by Paramore?**

**As for Alice wanting to stay in the maid's room . . . well I think she just wanted to learn a few ripe words. I mean seriously, who would subject themselves to the maid's presence like that without an ulterior motive?**


	12. Another Promise

"Alice, darling, what in the world are you thinking of?" Mother called out from the living room as I was passing by.

"Uh, just some memories," I replied nervously, hoping that my mother wasn't going to ask me about Lorina. I could see it from the way things were going, that it was going to be a very difficult day trying to keep Lorina's secret.

"What memories might they be, Darling?" Mother asked. Why Mother was so suddenly interested in my thoughts is beyond me.

"Oh . . . umm . . . I was thinking about Wonderland," I said still hoping that my mother wouldn't ask me about Lorina and her out of character state.

"Do you think about this 'Wonderland' often?" Mother asked making a face of worry and allowing some of that worry to leak into her voice.

"Uh, I guess so. It's such a curious place, it can't help but to seep into my thoughts, I suppose," I was beginning to feel very thankful that mother wasn't questioning me about Lorina, yet at the same time I was starting to wonder why mother sounded anxious.

"I see. And have you seen any of those bizarre things recently?" Mother questioned.

"What do you mean by 'bizarre things'?" I asked, unsure of what my mother meant.

"Well, you did tell me that there was a grinning cat. That is something very strange and bizarre."

"Oh, you mean the Cheshire Ca-"

"Yes, yes, this Cheshire cat, have you seen it recently?" Mother asked cutting me off from saying my next words.

"Umm . . . well, no." Why was Mother so full of questions?

"Ok, good. Now, have you seen any of those other strange creatures since you told your father and me about them?"

"No." I wanted to tell my mother that they were not strange, that all those creatures were marvelous works of wonder. But I knew better then to talk back to my mother, and so I held my tongue.

"Now, Darling, if you ever see any of those creatures again, I want you to tell me or your father right away." Mother's voice still hadn't lost that distinct undertone of worry.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now, I want you to promise me that you will tell me or your father right away if you see anything strange."

Automatically I raised my hand to my chest and recited, "I promise that I will tell you or father next time I see one of those bizarre creatures."

"Alice, darling, why is your hand over your heart?" Mother asked.

"Oh . . . uh, Lorina told me that's how you make a promise." Why mother did not already know this is a mystery to me.

"Well, I think your word is strong enough that you don't need to put your hand over your heart every time you make a promise."

"Oh, well, thank you." I really didn't know what my mother meant by that, but it sounded like a complement.

"I raised you not to lie. That way all your words will be strong." I'm still not sure what Mother meant by this. How can words be strong? It doesn't make any sense to me.

"Now, Alice, have you promised anything to Lorina recently?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, hoping I could somehow get away from telling Mother Lorina's surprise.

"Well, you did say that Lorina told you to put your hand over your heart whenever you promised something."

"Why . . . yes, she did," Words cannot begin to describe how uncomfortably panicked I felt at that moment.

"So, did you promise anything to Lorina?"

"Umm . . . well-"

"It's alright, Darling. You don't have to tell me _what _you promised. I just want to know _if_ Lorina had you promise anything recently, because Lorina knows not to mess with you while-" Mother looked at me then cut herself off. "So, did you promise anything to Lorina?"

"Umm . . . yes." I really didn't want to tell mother that I promised Lorina something at all, but it was better then telling her what I promised.

"Shame on Lorina! I told her not to toy with you while you aren't-" Mother looked at me and abruptly stopped. "Well, Alice, I'm going to have a little chat with Lorina."

"Ok," I said not sure if I was supposed to reply with anything.

"Your sister should really know better then to tease you," Mother said as she stood up from her chair to leave the room, presumably to find Lorina.

**A/N**

**So, as you can probably tell Alice's mother is the more worried, overprotecting parent. Poor, Alice, she's grateful her mother isn't asking her about the engagement, but she doesn't realize that she is making her mother even more worried by talking about Wonderland.**

**B/N**

**Whew! I am on a roll here. You see, I've let this sit unedited for a few of day's now and . . . well, let's just say I got this puppy done in about 30 minutes. And yes, that is very, very quick for me. I'm paranoid that I'm going to leave something misspelled or that something won't be in the right tense, therefore I read this thing over like 10-12 times. And you know what? I still miss stuff. -_- I will never be an editor when I grow up. Much too stressful. I'll just stick to Beta reading to satiate my editing cravings. ^_^**

**On another note I've been given permission to make this beta note as long as my little heart desires so be prepared for a long one . . . or, well, longer than it already is.**

**I think Alice's mom is extremely uptight. She **_**really**_** needs to relax and just breathe. I mean **_**come on **_**how many kids don't play pretend? I still play pretend and I'm 15 years old. **_**And **_**I had 2 imaginary friends when I was 5. I mean, if you're going to be worried about something worry about . . . well, I can't think of a good example right now, but just worry about something else. By getting this little glimpse of her mom it's obvious who's pushing the whole "Alice is a shizo!" thing. Alice's dad is really cool. We don't know him that well, but we just know he's cool. Awesomeness is emanating off of him. He's like "Let the kid play pretend. It was probably a dream or something."**

**It's clear to me now. Alice's mom simply has nothing to occupy her time. Maybe she should take up knitting! Or crocheting. I've never been very good at crocheting, though. It comes with my whole being ambidextrous. I have to crochet left handed, yet I knit right handed. Very confusing stuff.**

**But I'm going to end this now, because I've probably severely abused the whole make-this-as-long-as-you-want deal. *sigh* what's a girl to do when she has so much to say? Write a review you say? That's just so . . . unexciting? Boring? Normal? Oh, well. I'll figure something out! Buh-bye, Lovelies!**


	13. Thinking of Oatmeal

I'm starting to wish that I'd eaten the oatmeal Lorina made for me this morning. If I had eaten Lorina's muck, that she claims is oatmeal, then I wouldn't be hungry right now. I'm really not looking forward to lunch, though.

Saturday lunches in my family are usually spontaneous affairs. Meaning, the family doesn't all sit down together at the same time for lunch. Saturday is when we can choose to eat at whatever time we want without having to wait for anybody to get to the table. Unfortunately, today is Friday, not Saturday.

Maybe, if I had eaten Lorina's oatmeal, instead of poking at it with my spoon, I would be sick right now. And if I were sick with a stomachache, I wouldn't have to sit down and eat lunch with the family. Goodness, why didn't I realize Lorina had given me a way to keep her secret better?

Ok, maybe I'm giving Lorina too much credit. I don't think she purposefully planned to get me sick with her disgusting oatmeal. A lot of thought and arrangement would have had to go into that and come on, we're talking about _Lorina_. But, could it be possible that Lorina made that horrendous oatmeal because she knew I wouldn't actually eat it?

It could make sense. Lorina made gross oatmeal, which she knew I wouldn't eat because she wanted me to be to be hungry right now. No, I shouldn't blame my hungriness on Lorina and her terrible cooking abilities.

But, it doesn't make sense at all. Maybe Lorina wanted lunch to start earlier then normal. Mother and Father will only start lunch early if I ask them to.

I'm still not sure if it's possible that Lorina made breakfast because she knew I wouldn't eat, just so I would be hungry sooner, and have to ask mother and father to start lunch at an earlier hour so as to take care of my stomach. But, if she wants lunch at an earlier hour, then why doesn't she just ask Mother and Father to start it earlier herself?

If Lorina asked Mother and Father, then I wouldn't have to. I'm really hungry and I need to have lunch; that or I need to find a way to make my stomach stop making these ridiculous noises. Why is Lorina making _me _do it? I don't get it.

Ok, maybe I'm getting a little carried away here. Lorina was probably just bubbly about her engagement and decided to make the maid and me a bowl of oatmeal out of happiness. There is no way that she planned all that so lunch would be started earlier. Why would she want lunch earlier anyways? Lorina probably doesn't care what time lunch gets started.

But still, it sort of makes sense that Lorina planned for me to get lunch started early. She knows Mother and Father will start the meal early if I ask. And she knows that I have to have food when I get hungry. So, it would make perfect sense if Lorina planned all this.

Goodness, I can't believe that I'm actually walking to father's office to ask if lunch can be started earlier then normal. Why do I have to be so hungry? Why didn't I just eat the oatmeal?

**A/N**

**Alice is starting to use her brain! LOL, do you think Lorina's that clever?**

**So, I felt like writing a short chapter about oatmeal. Ain't I just awesome? Oh, and if you are enjoying this story, then I strongly urge that you go and check out my Beta Reader's, foreverTEAtime, stories. Seriously, people she is a true mastermind, so if you enjoy this story then you will truly love her poems.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**Huzzah! It only took me two days to get this one done. But in all honesty I only checked my E-mail today so it's actually like one day. You know; if we're being all fair and what-not. =D**

**I do, in fact, think Lorina is that devious. She made Alice stick those leeches in Josie's stockings after all. A sister who can plan that far ahead just to hurt a maid for fun, can plan that far ahead to conceal her engagement . . . . Or unveil it. She might be trying to gather everybody together to break the news.**

**And isn't Carmie Dear the sweetest? She's telling all of you that you should read my poems, when in fact, you should be reading hers! (Her stories that is) *turns thoughtful* Or maybe it's all a conspiracy. Maybe she's telling you all to read my poetry because then you'll think I'm crazy and you'll all turn me in to the authorities. *backs away slowly* I'm not crazy! *eye twitches* I can prove it! *holds out paperwork* See? I've only been hospitalized 10 times!**

***cough***

**I swear that wasn't me. That was my evil twin. . . . Bethany! Yeah, my evil twin Bethany likes everybody to think I'm crazy. She's just in denial that she is in fact the crazy one. But one day. . . . Yes one day, I will make her see. *cackles crazily***

**But seriously why didn't Alice just go get something to eat from the kitchen? Like an apple or a peach. Anything to tide her over . . . . . I'm afraid we will never fully understand Alice's schizophrenic mind. *shakes head sadly* Just kidding! We all know what she went through was **_**real. **_**Really, really, **_**real.**_

**Bitty bye, Lovelies!**


	14. Making Lunch Plans

"Alice, why are you standing in the doorway?" Father asks from inside his study.

"Oh, uh, I had a question." I really hate that I'm letting my hunger control me, but I can't get the thought of food out of my head. Why didn't I just eat the oatmeal?

"Then what's keeping you from asking it?" Father asks as I imagine how good a tomato sandwich would be right now.

"Uh, I'm not sure-"

"Alice, darling, just ask your question," Father's voice sounds slightly annoyed. He must have a lot of work to do. Father can get really stressed by his work at times.

"Oh, I was just, uh, wondering…" I let my voice trail off not sure if now is exactly a good time to ask him about changing our lunch plans. He seems to be irritated, and I don't want to do anything to further disturb his work.

"Darling, don't mumble it's a bad habit to acquire."

"Sorry," I say looking down at my feet. I probably picked the worse possible time to ask father about lunch.

"What were you going to ask?" Father asks, this time he looks up from his many papers on his desk.

"Oh, can we have lunch earlier?" I really hope that I'm not disturbing father right now. But all the same I'm still _really_ hungry.

"What was that? You need to speak up and look at the person you're talking to, Alice."

"May we have lunch earlier?" I ask, this time looking straight at Father and speaking much louder. I think I'll leave off pointing out that father hasn't looked at me for most of our conversation, I think it's kind of ridiculous that he's lecturing me on that.

"Lunch?" Father inquires in a slightly less annoyed voice. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Yes," I say, returning my gaze back down to the floor.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" Father asks glancing at the wall clock behind the door. Why does he lecture me on looking at somebody when you're talking to them, when he doesn't even follow the rule himself?

"Oh I didn't know the time," I say, nervously shuffling my feet.

"Didn't you eat breakfast?" Father asks looking back down at his papers. He still isn't looking at me. Maybe the rule about looking directly at the person you're talking to doesn't apply to him.

"Uh, I didn't have an appetite then." This wasn't exactly a lie. Lorina's oatmeal took away any kind of appetite I'd had this morning.

"Well, if you're hungry then I guess we could have lunch early."

"Thank you."

"I could defiantly use a break from all these papers. Lunch is a great idea." Father's voice has lost any kind of annoyance it held earlier. "Did you tell your mother of the new plans?"

"No, I just now asked you about it."

"Well, go tell Mother and Lorina about the new time for lunch. Then go tell Mrs. Nigbits to start fixing it," Father said, getting back to working on as many papers as he could possibly complete before lunch.

"Yes Father," I say, going out the doorway to tell everybody about the altered lunch plans.

**A/N**

**Well, I'm now on my senior year of high school. So, updates will be less often. Sorry, but the good news is now my story can't be used as an excuse for not doing your homework.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**I feel so small and insignificant compared to Carmie now. *sighs* I am only a mere 10****th**** grader. And unfortunately, I have oodles of schoolwork pouring down upon me. *throws hand to forehead* How will I bear it? Alas, there is a light gleaming for me in the near future! (My math load will become much lighter in about 9 weeks, so my tender heart rejoices.)**

**But enough of that delicate talk, let's get down to business. I have been terribly neglectful and I should be tarred and feathered. But instead of the customary chicken feathers could you possibly use peacock? I want to be dignifiedly put to shame.**


	15. When is a promise broken?

I'm not sure why I feel a little nervous right now. Seriously, what exactly do I have to worry about? Father already approved of the new arrangements. All I have to do is tell everybody else in the household about the rescheduled lunchtime.

I shouldn't feel so worried about telling Mother, Lorina, and the maid about the new lunch plans. It's the simplest task I've probably ever had to accomplish.

All I have to do is go up to each of them and say something like, "Father told me to tell you that we're going to have lunch earlier," anything like that to finally put my stomach to peace.

I'm still not sure why I feel nervous about asking such a simple question. It's not like Mother is going to question me about Lorina. Mother already found out that I promised something to her, and Mother didn't seem to care about what she made me pledge. So, Mother most likely won't question me any further.

I wonder why Mother doesn't care about what I promised to Lorina. Yes, I feel blessed that she didn't feel the need to question me incessantly about the promise, but at the same time I feel like I might regret something later. Did I dodge a bullet or did I just allow more time for a gun to be loaded?

Goodness, I wonder what Mother is going to talk about with Lorina. It can't be good; Mother really wasn't that thrilled that I swore secrecy to Lorina. Oh dear, why haven't I thought of this before?

Now I know why I'm worried. I completely let Mother's talk, she plans to have with Lorina, slip my mind. Will Lorina be mad at me?

I didn't exactly break my promise. I didn't tell Mother about the engagement. I just told her that I promised Lorina something. That's not breaking a promise, right?

Does telling somebody you made a promise count as breaking a promise? I didn't tell Mother what the promise was so I didn't actually break the promise, right? But Mother does know about the promise so is the promise sort of broken?

I really hope that I didn't mess stuff up by telling mother about the secret. I don't want Lorina to be mad at me. But, who knows how she's going to be after Mother has a little talk with her.

I hope Lorina doesn't blame me for anything. Lorina can be a very bitter person when she is mad, and I would hate for her to take it out on me.

I'm really letting my thoughts consume me. I've been so worried about this mess that I almost walked right by the living room. Well, if I want my stomach to finally be at peace then I better announce the new lunch plans.

"Lorina, did you make Alice promise something to you?" I hear Mother question from inside the room. I don't think I want to enter the room right now. In fact, I don't think I want to enter the room at all. This is not going to be good.

**A/N**

**Can anybody tell me what's wrong with the banjo? My friends said that they would disown me if I learned how to play the banjo. Seriously, what's wrong with the banjo?**

**. . .**

**B/N **

**The process of putting knowledge into your brain during school hours leaves it strangely vacant for the remaining hours in the day . . . at least, that's how it is for me.**


	16. Letting the Cat in?

Mother's expression, when she sees me, makes me feel scared and calm all at the same time. It's like a mix between the expression a cat would have if it caught a bird, and the expression a Sunday school teacher would make when she was comforting a student. Sounds pretty ridiculous considering how opposite those two things are. But, her face sends chills of fear down my spine as well as making me feel relieved.

"Alice, darling, will you please enter the room?" Mother says as she continues to keep that strange expression.

"Yes mother," I say as I enter the room. I feel like I've walked into a nasty trap.

"Alice, sweetheart, your sister here has something that she would like to say to you," Mother says looking at me then Lorina. "Don't you, Lorina?"

"Yes, Mother," Lorina says looking down at the ground. I wonder if she is looking at my juice stain.

"Now, Lorina, speak up and give Alice an apology," Mother demands, giving Lorina an evil stare. Why does Lorina owe me an apology?

"Alice, I'm sorry I made you keep a promise for me," Lorina apologizes.

"Okay," I reply, not sure if I'm supposed to say anything yet.

"Please, Alice, let your sister finish apologizing." Finish apologizing? I'm confused, what else does she need to apologize for?

"I'm sorry that I made you promise not to tell Mother and Father…" Lorina stops for a second and gives me a penetrating stare, "that I forgot to let Dinah in last night."

Let Dinah in? What in the world is Lorina talking about? I promised Lorina that I wouldn't tell Mother and Father about her engagement. That has nothing to do with letting the cat in.

"Now, Alice, do you accept you sister's apology?" Mother asks.

"Yes, I accept Lorina's apology and I forgive her." I only say this because Lorina's giving me that look she gives that suggest that I go along with whatever she has just said or I will pay dearly.

"Wonderful," says Mother. "Now, Alice, why are you wandering around the house, anyway?"

"Oh, Father told me to tell everybody that lunch will be started earlier."

"This much earlier? Wow, Father must be extremely hungry," Lorina says. Wait, I thought Lorina wanted lunch earlier.

"Lorina, don't mock your Father's needs. Does the maid know that lunch will be at an earlier hour?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm just about to tell her."

"Oh, don't trouble yourself, darling, Lorina can do that for you," Mother says giving Lorina a meaningful look. "Can't you, Lorina?"

"I would love to," Lorina replies; in a voice that suggests that she would rather stick pins in her head then spend a second with the maid.

"Well, hop to it!" exclaims Mother.

"Gladly," Lorina says as she flounces out of the room, leaving me with Mother.

**A/N**

**I'm having a wonderful time writing this story. And I don't know what else to say here.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**My baby sister is just the cutest thing since sliced bread. She has now taken to 'reading' books to everybody. The scary thing is that she has fully memorized the books that she 'reads.' Therefore she can recite an entire book **_**word for word**_**, just by looking at the pictures.**

**Future writer in the making? Yeah.**


	17. Knitting

"Alice, darling, you don't have to stand," mother says picking up her knitting needles from the coffee table. "Please, take a seat."

"Oh, of course, sorry," I awkwardly say as I take the seat that was earlier occupied by Lorina.

"No apology is needed, darling," mother says as she begins knitting.

I wonder what mother is going to knit. Or attempt to knit. My mother doesn't exactly have the skill to knit something that can be identified. I think my winter hat, she made me, was originally supposed to be a sock.

I still love my winter hat even if it is shaped a little odd. Mother knitted it for me with love, and I don't get homemade gifts from my mother that often.

Usually, I get things like sweaters, socks, or scarves that the maid knitted and let my mother claim she knitted. The maid is a pro at knitting, but I don't really cherish those gifts because my mother didn't make them for me.

Mother always acts so embarrassed when I wear that hat in public. Whenever I wear my winter hat, mother likes to remind me that I own better hats that don't look quite as odd. I don't really understand why mother doesn't like me wearing it, she made it for me. And I don't think mother really comprehends why I choose to wear it instead of one of the many other hats that our maid has knitted.

"-so that's why I always choose to wear my hair down in the summer," mother's voice says, pulling me away from my thoughts, and, consequently, making me realize that I'm completely ignoring my mother's story because I'm too busy thinking about knitting.

"Oh," I say as politely as possible, trying to make it seem like I was actually listening to mother's story the whole time.

"You should have seen how badly tangled my hair was." Now, I'm really starting to wonder what the other part of the story was about. Too bad I didn't pay attention.

My mother always likes to tell random stories when she knits. The maid believes that mother's knitting is as terrible as it is because she spends all her time talking instead of paying attention to her knitting. I'm almost positive this isn't true, though, because the maid likes to talk a lot when she knits as well.

Maybe talking is the wrong word for it. The maid likes to _complain _when she knits. And, it's not just when she knits. The maid likes to complain about young people ruining the government, young people forgetting the values of religion, young people not dressing modestly, young people getting married to early, and just young people in general.

"-the knot in my hair was _so_ badly tangled that I had to cut it," mother says. Yes, I realize that I've, yet again, blocked out mother's conversation. I've really got to stop zoning out.

"Oh, my, really?" I might as well pretend that I didn't miss more than half of mother's hair story.

"I really miss that brush. Can you believe that the knot was so bad that it broke two of my best hairbrushes?" mother asks in a voice that suggests that she has no clue whatsoever that I wasn't paying attention.

"No, that just sounds so impossible and-"

I cut myself off, because I'm pretty sure that I just saw a certain white rabbit with a pocket watch outside the window.

**A/N**

**I don't think I ever described what any of these characters look like. So out of curiosity, what do you think Lorina, Josephine, mother, and father look like?**

**B/N**

**I've discovered that when you read this story out loud, in your best British accent it makes the story 10x better than it already is.**


	18. Sprinting Outside

"Alice! Get back inside before you catch pneumonia!" Mother commanded from the doorway after I sprinted outside.

But I wasn't going back inside. I had to follow the white rabbit. I've been thinking about that rabbit for a long time now. I wasn't going to let him just get away.

"Alice, Are you crazy! It's bloody raining out here! Get back inside!" Mother yelled.

Hearing my mother use the word "bloody" was a bit out of the ordinary. She doesn't usually like to use that kind of language. But I wasn't going to think on that for too long. I had to make it to the white rabbit before I lost him.

"Darling! Get back inside before the neighbors see you and think that I'm a terrible mother!" Mother yelled again from the doorway.

My goodness, I'm really going to see the white rabbit again! I've been thinking about this forever. It's been an obsession of mine since I've left Wonderland. I can't believe it; each step I take is leading me closer to the awe that is Wonderland!

"Alice, Get back in here! Are you trying to make the neighbors spread terrible gossip about me? Do you want the neighbors saying that I'm unfit to be a mother? Get back inside, now!" Mother screamed, her voice getting quieter as I ran further away from it.

Oh my goodness, I'm getting closer to the white rabbit! I can't believe it! This is truly amazing! I never thought that I would be able to see Wonderland again. This is just beyond amazing!

"Alice, You're going to catch pneumonia and die, and everybody is going to gossip about how terrible of a mother I am! It's going to be all your bloody-"

I didn't hear the last part of mother's complaints. The sound of my feet pounding on the ground and the raindrops falling in torrents to the earth were covering up anything my mother had left to say. Not that it mattered anymore.

What mattered now was that I was going back to Wonderland. The place that I've been dreaming about since I left it. The place full of nonsense and pure imagination. The place that actually makes more sense then the world I live in.

Finally, after I was a small ways into the nearby forest, I made it to the white rabbit.

"You're very late, Alice."

**A/N**

**Sorry that's it been awhile. And sorry that this chapter is really short.**

**. . .**

**B/N **_**"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." ~ E.L. Doctorow**_

**this quote immediately made me think of this story. Poor Alice, I shall forever think of her whenever I hear the word 'schizophrenia'. **


	19. Silly Questions

The white rabbit looked exactly the same as he did before. He's fur was still white as snow, his eyes were still like tiny black beads, his nose still looked like a little pink heart, and he still had three cute whiskers on each side of his face. The white rabbit was even wearing the same outfit he wore when I first saw him.

"You're very late, Alice," he said again standing on top of a tree stump.

"Sorry, just give me a second to take all this in," I replied still amazed that I was actually seeing the white rabbit again.

"We don't have seconds for taking things in! We have to go now!" the white rabbit exclaimed as he jumped off the tree stump.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"No time for questions! Follow me!" he shrieked, sprinting off into the woods.

"Mr. Rabbit, Where are we going?" I called out as I stumbled along behind him.

"It's not the time for an interrogation! We have to be there now!" the white rabbit answered, turning his head back as he ran.

"But, where are we headed to?" I asked again struggling to catch up with the rabbit.

"We're late! We don't have time for all your inquiries!" the white rabbit replied.

"How are we late? And where are we going?" I asked again running a little faster to catch up with the white rabbit.

"We don't have time for anymore of this silly nonsense, Alice!" he said as I finally caught up to him.

"I don't find it silly. I think it's important to know where we are going," I stated, struggling to run at the white rabbit's pace.

"Its only important if you get there. And we still don't have time for silly questions," the white rabbit said as he ran further into the woods.

"That's complete nonsense!"

"We're almost there!" the white rabbit cheered; just then a tree I vaguely remembered came into view.

"Are we going back down the rabbit hole?" I asked, trying to catch my breath, as the white rabbit increased the speed we were traveling, making it that much harder for me to keep up.

"Do you know another way to get to Wonderland?" he asked.

"I'm going back to Wonderland?" I asked increasing my speed to keep up with the rabbit.

"Correction. _We're_ going back to Wonderland," the white rabbit stated running at an even faster pace.

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed in between gasps. I can't believe it! I'm actually going to back to Wonderland!

"Finally," the rabbit said once he made it to the tree. "Hurry up and get here, Alice!"

"Sorry," I said running the last few steps to meet him at the tree.

It was good to see the tree again. I haven't seen it since the last time I went to Wonderland. I've looked for it on days when it wasn't raining, but I've never been able to find it. Thank goodness the rabbit was able to bring me to the hollow tree.

"After you," the rabbit said once I had finally caught my breath sufficiently.

"That's very thoughtful of you," I said getting on my hands and knees to crawl into the tree and go down the rabbit hole inside of it.

**A/N**

**I guess I'm thinking of the Disney movie. The classic animated one, not the one with Johnny Depp. In the animated movie, Alice crawls though a hollow tree thing before she falls down the rabbit hole.**

**B/N**

**Nothing to say . . . Except, maybe, I'm wearing stripey socks. ^_^**


	20. Falling

Oh goodness, I'd completely forgotten the feeling of falling down the rabbit hole. It's not like falling down the stairs, because I missed the bottom step, and it's not like tripping over Dinah, when I'm running down the hallway. It's just like…well…falling forever.

I really don't know how to describe what it feels like when falling down a bottomless pit. I guess the feeling of falling forever is like sugar cookies. Sugar cookies just smell and taste like sugar cookies. Just like falling down a bottomless pit can only be described as falling down a bottomless pit.

Yes, I know my description does nothing to explain what this really feels like, but, the thing is, it just is what it is. You can't describe the smell and taste of sugar cookies to a person that's never had sugar cookies. And you can't describe the feeling of falling forever to a person that's never fallen forever before. It's just indescribable.

I wish that I had a better way to describe this feeling, but I can't think of anything better then that falling forever feels like falling forever. Maybe the white rabbit could give a better explanation.

The only problem with that is I don't want to ask him. He seemed annoyed with all my questions earlier, and I don't really want to annoy him any further. He probably already thinks that I'm just a stupid girl.

So, I'm not going to talk. I'm going to continue falling down this bottomless pit, with the white rabbit, in complete silence. I don't want him thinking that I'm just another annoying little girl.

Well, he probably already thinks that. So there really shouldn't be any harm in asking questions, but, we have been falling in silence for quite a few minutes; and it would be quite awkward to break the silence now.

I really would like to know why it's so important that I come to Wonderland, though. And why it's so important that I come now. And why am I late if it's so important that I come to Wonderland. But, I really don't what to break the silence to ask these questions.

The silence is like a barrier between the white rabbit and me. Like some sort of invisible wall that would be improper to cross. I really don't want to be the one to intrude and cross that invisible wall.

But, I need to know the answers to all of my questions. Hopefully, they will be all answered in time. Unfortunately, I don't feel like waiting.

I want answers _now_. But, I don't want to break the silence. It would be much too awkward to break the wall of silence between us now that I've waited so long. But, I also feel like I need to have my questions answered before I get to Wonderland.

Wow, I really am going mad. I'm torn between breaking the silence and getting answers, and keeping up the silence and not getting answers. I probably should just break the silence barrier and get it over with.

But, then, maybe I shouldn't. The white rabbit didn't answer any of my questions that I asked before, so, most likely, he won't answer any of my questions that I ask now. He'll probably just tell me, yet again, that I shouldn't be asking such silly questions.

But I must remember that earlier we were in the process of getting to the rabbit hole. So, maybe it just wasn't a good time for me to be asking questions. Maybe now _is _a good time.

Now, probably, is a perfect time. There's no time like the present, and we will be falling for quite a bit while yet. So, if I want to get some answers I better start asking the questions now.

But, I'm still scared to break the silence. What if the white rabbit gets angry with me? Then I'll be stuck down here with him and it will be all awkward. It really is a predicament, I want answers, but I don't want to be the one to break the silence. Besides I'm technically a child so, I really shouldn't be speaking unless I'm spoken too.

But does that rule apply when speaking to rabbits? Or any other animal for that matter. I really don't know the answer to that question . . . I bet the white rabbit does, though.

I probably shouldn't speak unless the white rabbit breaks the silence first. Mother would be furious if I spoke to someone before I was spoken to. But, would mother know if I broke that rule?

Probably not, mother didn't know about Wonderland until I told her and father about it. So, she most likely wouldn't know if I broke the rule unless I told her.

Oh goodness, I really shouldn't be thinking about doing things behind my mother's back. I should just be a good girl and keep my mouth shut unless the white rabbit speaks first.

Hopefully, the white rabbit will say _something._ Because if he doesn't this is going to be one long fall down to Wonderland.

**A/N**

**Well this was fun. In the book Alice falls down the rabbit hole for a really long time. She even starts talking out loud to herself from boredom. I don't know why I'm telling you guys this. Y'all probably read the book, so I'm just stated what everybody already knows.**

**. . .**

**B/N**

**She also finds a jar of orange marmalade! Too bad it was empty. ),= Poor, unfortunate Alice, she always gets the short end of the stick. . . Although were she got a stick from I have no idea. I don't think Alice's mother would be pleased to know her daughter ran around with sticks . . . or empty jars of orange marmalade for that matter.**


	21. Door and Key

"Alright, Alice, get to your feet," the white rabbit states once we stop falling. "We don't have time to dilly dally."

"Sorry," I mumble quickly getting to my feet. "I sort of landed on my face."

"You humans are nothing but clumsy," the white rabbit chastises.

"Sorry," I apologize again.

"Now you're repeating yourself," the white rabbit says as he begins walking towards the little door.

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaim. "I remember this door."

"Alice, we don't have time for you to meander down memory lane," the white rabbit states, as he turns the knob of the door. "Rats, it's locked."

"Isn't the key on the table?"

"I _know _where the bloody key is," the white rabbit spits as he walks towards the small glass table in the middle of the room.

Is it just me, or is the rabbit a little cross today? He seems to be angry with me for no apparent reason. That or he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Either way he's frustrated for no good reason.

I don't know. His exasperation is making it a lot more complicated to unlock the door than it really is. It looks like he's having quite a bit of unnecessary trouble trying to open the door. If he would just stop being so vexed with me then maybe it wouldn't be as hard as he's making it out to be.

"Would you like some help?" I ask as he fails, yet again, to unlock the door.

"I don't need help from a human," the white rabbit mutters as he forces the key into the hole.

"Sorry, it just looks like your having a little trouble."

"Fine! If you want to do it so badly go right ahead," the white rabbit says jerking away from the door and moving to the side so he can observe.

"Okay," I mumble taking the key out of the doorknob.

I slide the key back into the knob and turn it sideways. To my surprise the lock instantly clicks open.

"I could have done that," the white rabbit grumbles as I gently push the door open.

"Wow," I whisper staring though the door. "It's been a long time."

"Alice, we are in a hurry," the white rabbit states. He roughly pushes me out of his way so that he can access the doorway.

"Just let me put the key back," I say as the white rabbit gets on all four paws so he can easily crawl through the door.

"We don't have time."

"Why won't it come back out?" I ask as I try to tug the key out of the door.

"That's irrelevant to this situation," the white rabbit says as he grabs my other arm. "We have to go now."

"Wait-"

"Rats, you're too big," the white rabbit says as he tries to pull me through the door with him.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't waste time apologizing," he says taking a glass bottle out of his coat.

"Sorry."

"Drink this." Then he hands me the little bottle.

"Alright."

As soon as the first drop hits my tongue, I rapidly drop down to the size of a doll. And once I'm tiny, the white rabbit grabs my hand and pulls me though the door after him.

**A/N**

**Well, I'm sorry that I made the white rabbit such a jerk.**

**. . .**

**B/N **_**"Sorry, I sort of landed on my face."**_

**That line right there is great. I don't know why, maybe because it doesn't really apply to me, but it's just awesome.**


	22. Should have Listened to Mother

Wonderland looks the same but slightly different. The land almost looks aged. Does that even make sense? Can the actual land age?

I don't know. Maybe it's just been such a long time since I've been to Wonderland that it all _appears_ to be different. Or maybe this land is just so unusual that it _is _different.

"Alice, what are you staring at?" the white rabbit asks interrupting my train of thought. "We don't have time for this."

"Oh, I'm sorry it's just that the land appears to be-"

"I don't care," the white rabbit says abruptly cutting me off. "We need to get going."

"Sorry," I mumble as the white rabbit begins walking.

Is it just me or does the white rabbit appear to have a chip on his shoulder? He wasn't this cross the last time I came here. Well, he didn't know who I was the last time I came here, but that's beyond the point. If he didn't care what I was staring at why did he bother asking?

The white rabbit turns towards me then he spits at me, "Alice, we are moving now."

"Sorry. This place just has me so lost in thought and-"

"I don't care. Humans talk way too much," he says with a sneer as we begin walking though the trees. "Sometimes I think they just like to hear the sound of their own voice."

"Uh, but isn't that what you're doing right now?" I ask before I realize how rude that sounds.

"_I_ only speak when it's necessary," the white rabbit states, looking me coldly in the eye. "Humans like you just speak to waste precious time."

"So, why are you responding to me if it's just a waste of time?"

Oh dear, mother would never approve of me speaking so boldly like this. I shouldn't question an adult. It's against everything she has ever taught me. Wait, is the white rabbit even an adult?

"Just don't speak for the rest of the trip. Do you understand?" The white rabbit patronizingly states after a moment of contemplation.

"Is that some sort of a trick question?" I ask as we walk into a dark cluster of trees.

"You're a stupid girl, Alice," the white rabbit spits. "Didn't your mother teach you better manners?"

"My mother didn't want me to follow you, so I guess not."

Darn it, why did I tell the white rabbit that? Now he's going to think that I don't love my mother. That wasn't a good answer to his question. Now he'll probably talk to me like I'm even more of a dunce.

"You are a very stupid girl, Alice," the white rabbit says after another moment of silence. "You really should have listened to your mother."

Right after he says that he pushes me into a hole hidden amongst the trees.

**A/N**

**I'll like to give a shout out to skaterofthebooks. Thanks for reviewing every single chapter of this story. It really made my week.**

**Also special thanks to .Child for beta reading. If you haven't read her stuff yet, then you NEED too.**

**. . .**

**I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely holiday season. =)**


	23. No Answers

Oh dear goodness, I should have really listened to my mother. Running out in the rain towards the white rabbit was all a big mistake. I should have never left my house. I should have just stayed inside with Mother.

If I had stayed inside, I wouldn't be falling again. I would be sitting in the big armchair in the parlor with one of my picture books. Or I would be sitting by the fireplace petting Dinah. Or I would be listening to the maid's complains about Lorina while she makes-

Blimey! I never told the maid to start making lunch. Father is going to be angry that lunch wouldn't be served at the new hour.

Wait a second; I'm not going to be there. So, why should I worry? I currently falling for my life right now, so I don't think I'm going to be home any time soon.

I wonder what they would be eating for lunch. Did the maid make sandwiches, or did she take out the pot to make her famous soup? She usually makes sandwiches cause, according to her, they're easy and don't require much preparation time. But, sometimes when it rains she takes out the pot to make her hot delicious soup...

This is a very silly thing to ponder when I'm falling for my life. I should be more focused on what's going on in Wonderland, than what's going on at my house. Why is the white rabbit being so cross? Why did the white rabbit push me down this hole? Why didn't I notice the hole earlier? And why did the white rabbit need me in Wonderland immediately?

I wish I had answers to those questions, but I don't. Wonderland just isn't the type of place that provides answers. Wonderland can only provide questions.

Oh goodness, none of this thinking is helping me. Thinking of questions doesn't give me answers, it just sparks more questions that don't have answers. I just need answers!

Why am I able to go to Wonderland now? After I got thrown out of Wonderland, the first time, I didn't think that I would ever be able to go back again. I thought it was just a bizarre dream that I would always remember. I even looked for that rabbit hole. I never found it. Why couldn't I find it?

None of this makes sense! Why am I in Wonderland now? I thought that rabbit hole, disappeared or just never existed. How did I fall down it again? And why did the white rabbit push me down another hole?

Where did this other hole come from? It wasn't here the first time I came here. How is it suddenly here now? Was it added? Or did I just never notice it? Why am I falling down it? Why did the white rabbit push me down it?

Why isn't the white rabbit with me? I thought he was going to be my escort to wherever this issue in Wonderland is. If he's my escort why isn't he with me? Was he supposed to push me down this hole? He did seem very cross; maybe he just had it with me and pushed me down this hole for no good reason.

No, that's ridiculous. I need to stop asking questions I can't get answers to. If the white rabbit was supposed to escort me to some random issue in Wonderland, then why would he push me down a hole out of anger? That would just make matters worse.

What are matters anyway? I still don't know why I have to be in Wonderland. And I'm sort of scared to find out.

I just hope this fall ends soon. The longer I stay in this falling atmosphere, the more I wish I would have just stayed indoors with my mother.

**A/N **

**Sorry that it's been awhile. If ya still reading this, then give me a heads up or something.**

**h, and I worked this one without a beta. Cause, I felt strong enough or something. So, if ya notice any mistakes please point them out. Okay? **


	24. The Duchesse And Her Floating Hand

Finally, I was out of the falling atmosphere. I was in an empty room that seemed to be made of concrete. I'm surprised that I didn't break my face when I landed. I guess it just the nonsense of the world that kept my face from turning into a disgusting pudding pile on the floor.

That's sort of disgusting to think of. I should be happy that I didn't hurt myself, when I landed, not wondering why my face isn't a mush pile on this concrete floor. No, actually I should be wondering why I'm in this concrete room in the first place.

Great, that's just another question that doesn't have an answer.

"Well, it's about time you got here," a rude voice says interrupting my thoughts.

I spin around trying to locate the new voice. "Uh..."

She either doesn't notice or doesn't care that I'm not looking at her. "I bet that stupid rabbit got lost again. That darn rodent belongs in a stew."

"Excuse me? Who exactly is talking to me?" I ask spinning around again. I still haven't located the person that belongs to this voice.

She ignores my question. "It really shouldn't have taken that _long _to bring you here. I needed you two hours ago."

I glace around the room again. Where is the person talking to me? Her voice sounds familiar. I know I meet her last time.

"It's a shame that I already taken care of it. With your help it would have been done much faster," she says unnoticing that I can't find her. "You're nearly useless to me now."

"Does that mean that I can go back to mother?" I ask still looking for the woman talking to me.

She laughs. "Of course not. I may not need your help, but the cook might."

"You're the Duchesse!"

Now, I know why I remembered her voice. She's the lady that had the baby that turned into a pig, and a cook that put far too much pepper into whatever she was making.

I hear her sigh after a pause. "I was the Duchesse."

"Was?" I ask still trying to find her in the empty concrete room.

I hear another sigh. "Lots of things happened after you left. Lots of us lost our titles. And lots of us went missing."

"Was it my fault?"

She sighs again. "I don't blame you. But I probably should. You did make things harder for me."

She doesn't blame me? Does that mean that other people blame me? Was this my fault? What was it? Why are there so many questions?

She continues after the pause. "But some of the wrong people do. Please stay away from them. They're blinded by revenge, and might do something stupid if they find you. You need to be alive for things to change."

"I'm not sure if I understand," I say as a hand is placed on my shoulder. I tense up.

"Please, stay calm." I turn around to face the owner of the hand, but freak out when I realize that nobody owns the hand.

The hand pats my shoulder. And the Duchesse repeats herself, "Please, stay calm."

"What happened to the rest of your body?" I ask assuming that the Duchesse is the owner of this floating hand.

She gives another sigh. "I'm almost one of the missing."

"One of the missing?" That makes no sense.

"You need to solve this."

"Solve what?"

"That stupid rodent didn't tell you?" she asks with her voice returning to its original rude quality. "He brings you late and doesn't bother explaining anything. Worthless animals belong in stews."

"Okay?"

"Go find the cook. She might have a job for you."

"Where is she?"

Her hand points towards a hallway, that I'm sure wasn't there before. "Down that hallway and turn a left."

I don't question her directions.

**A/N**

**Well, the Duchesse is the character that wasn't lucky enough to make it into the movie. She's not as known, so Alice didn't recognize her from her voice right away. **

**Feel free to point out any silly typos. **


	25. Wanting Sleep

Walk down this mysterious shady looking hallway, and turn left, then I'll be able to talk to this person I never actually talked to. Yeah, these directions are simple enough to follow. It's a shame that suddenly I feel really sleepy.

Wait, this is strange. Why is sleep suddenly becoming like a watch daggling in front of my face? I wasn't sleepy before. Why am I so terribly sleepy now?

Goodness, there are plenty of spots in this hallway that I could just curl up in. I could just curl up on this concrete floor, and take a little power nap. And when I get up I can go talk to the cook.

Why do I have to talk to the cook anyway? I don't really want to. Why is the duchess making me? I rather just sleep. I don't think I ever talked to this cook person before.

Yeah, I have never talked to this cook person. This person was just in the background of my last visit. I don't even know what gender this cook person is, and not knowing the gender of a person really says that you don't know them at all. The only thing this cook male/female did that was memorable was that they were putting far to much pepper in that stew.

What was even in that stew? Was the cook even making a stew? It could have been some pepper using bathwater. Does that even exist? If it did, I bet the maid would use it to wash Dinah.

Ugh, that's not really important right now. All these random thoughts of the cook are keeping me from sleep. All I want to do is sleep.

My eyelids feel heavy. Was I this sleepy before? I don't remember being this sleepy before I came here. I really don't remember being this sleepy.

Goodness, lack of sleep is making me repeat myself. Maybe I should just curl up into a little ball, and get a few minutes in before I met the cook. My eyelids are getting heavier.

I could just...

"Little girl person!" a voice says making my eyes reopen. "Where are you? This is the shortest hallway in Wonderland! You should be here by now. You are going to be cutting up beets for me!"

Was that the cook? That probably was. I never heard the cook speak before. The voice sounds heavy, like a really addicted smoker. This heavy smoker voice doesn't tell me anything about the gender of the holder of it.

"Girl person!" the voice calls. "Come and get here! Now! This edible masterpiece isn't going to create itself!"

Maybe I should respond back. I don't really want to. I don't even want to finish walking down this silly hallway. I think I stopped walking.

Wow, I must be really tired. I didn't even realize that I had stopped moving.

"Girl Person!" the voice yells. "I know that you're in my hallway! I have eyes in places you've never even heard of!"

That sounds really disturbing. Now I really don't want to finish walking down this hallway. I'm just going to stop sit down now, and if the cook person really needs my help, then she/he can just go get me.

"Darling! My hallway isn't a place of rest! It's a place of transportation! There is no sleeping in movement!"

Dig me a ditch, cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it. I'm sleeping in your hallway. I'm so tired. And when you're a sleepy little girl, like me, you can sleep anywhere you want. You just magically end up in your bed later. I'm already lying on your ground, and I really don't want to get up off it.

"Sweet little girl person!" The smoker voice sounds worried. "You are going to regret sleeping in my hallway! Doing this is going to-"

I don't hear the last part. Sleep consumes me.

**A/N**

**I'm back from the dead. Not really, it's just that I was gone for a whole month. **

**Anyway, I think Alice would get really grumpy without sleep. **

**Reviews are my currency. Make me a millionaire. **


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